Abra posted the highest number of voluntarily surrendered loose firearms in the Cordillera in 2023.
Police Regional Office-Cordillera data showed that 371 loose firearms were surrendered directly to the police or coursed through village or municipal officials in Abra last year, or about 33.5 percent of the 1,106 assorted unlicensed or unregistered firearms received by authorities.
Under Oplan Katok, which is the police’s house-to-house verification among firearm holders who have not renewed their licenses, Benguet registered the second highest number of surrendered firearms at 160.
Kalinga followed with 145; Mountain Province had 138; Baguio City, 136; Ifugao, 131; and Apayao, 120.
There were also 67 firearms confiscated and 28 firearms recovered during various police operations in the Cordillera.
“We are confident that Abra is on the way to progress especially with the people helping in the peace and order campaign and their desire to change the image of their province to a peaceful province,” PRO-Cor Director B/Gen. David Peredo said.
Col. Carolina Lacuata, PRO-Cor Information Office chief, defined loose firearms as those that are unregistered, altered, lost, stolen or illegally manufactured.
The classification includes registered firearms held by unauthorized individuals or those whose licenses have been revoked based on regulations or have not been renewed. – PNA
